Colorado Deer Population and Management, News and Information Archive
See the Colorado Page for current population information
Annual Deer Hunt 2000: 38,000 2001: 31,500 2002* 36,000 2003: 37,602 2004: 41,743 2005: 41,665 2006: 44,800 2007: 45,000 2008: 35,500 2009: 33,922 2010: 34,768 2011: 33,217 2012: 33,486 2013: 32,941 2014: 27,492 2015: 34,005 2016: 36,824 2017: 37,761 2018: 38,303 2019: 36,389 Deer Population Estimates, Post-hunt 2004 600,900 2005 613,450 2006 623,760 2007 538,770 2008 466,750 2009 460,520 2010 430,390 2011 417,950 2012 408,010 2013 390,660 2014 424,190 2015: 435,660 2016: 418,560 2017: 418,800 2018: 433,140 2019: 418,000 Hunting estimates are based on surveys of hunters, not reported kills as used by some states. *2000 to 2002 data estimated from graph Poor survival for mule deer fawns. Results of the deer hunt are based on surveys of deer hunters. Whitetails increasing west of I-25. One half to one third of the herd size in the 1940s and far below the pre-settlement numbers. Elk Hunt 2005 56,462 2006 56,933 2007 49,012 2008 45,271 2009 47,543 2010 48,018 2011 43,480 2012 43,490 2013 43,606 2014 41,900 2015: 44,852 2016: 39,306 2017: 38,555 Elk Population 2005 258,370 2006 271,840 2007 291,960 2008 283,210 2009 286,510 2010 283,430 2011 264,170 2012 266,300 2013 264,025 2014 278,490 2015 275,000 2016 277,750 2017 305,840 | More Deer Management and Population News by State |